Gnome Improvement
A 1st-level one-shot adventure for brave little
gnomes, to be used with the fifth edition of the
world's oldest fantasy roleplaying game.
Set in the Original World of Pagrodin
Created by Acenm5
Starter One-shot: Gnome Improvement
Adventure Background
The gnomes of Zuggaby!! (yes, the "!" is part of the town's name) have lived underground for centuries, just the same as most other peoples in the world of Pagrodin. However, in all that time, they never figured out how to hold the "less gnomely" citizens who broke one of their very few rules accountable. After all, breaking a rule usually happens by accident, and no gnomely gnome wants to be a prison guard, so the less gnomelies are usually given community service as a consequence. If they perform their duties well, they can be considered just as gnomely as the average gnome.
So, when the thief Omlee Delk'cit went and nabbed from the town's stock of precious crystals on her last day of com-munity service, the town was abuzz with calls for action. The mayor's lackeys did what work they could (meaning the bare minimum) and found evidence that Omlee had used the old rope elevator to ascend to the surface! After all, any gnome with at least one peeper could see that the platform had somehow fallen from a great height recently, and every other gnome had been accounted for in the days following the theft. But how did she do it? That ancient contraption needed the heft of at least 2 gnomes to operate, and nobody was aware of Omlee having friends, let alone a partner in crime.
The crystals she stole are as good as gold to the under-ground civilizations, but they're nothing more than rocks to the monsters that inhabit the outside world. Someone would have to retrieve the crystals from her (undoubtedly) dead self and figure out why Omlee performed quite possibly the least gnomely thing anyone has ever heard of.
Adventure Summary
In this adventure, the player characters (PCs) take on the roles of the Zuggaban gnomes chosen to journey to the surface and bring back the precious crystals, if not Omlee Delk'cit as well. Some of the gnomes were roped into this as part of their community service, but others have the virtuous hearts or delusions of grandeur to volunteer for such a dangerous quest all on their own.
The PCs begin in the town mayor's home, where she instructs them to repair the old rope elevator with supplies from the provisioner. Since her coin pouch's whereabouts are known, she tells them to get money from her husband, a school teacher, who needs to deal with a few rambunctious little gnomes before he can be of assistance to the PCs.
After repairing the rope elevator, the PCs set off into the perilous unknown by following a trail of shiny crystal powder. They eventually find Omlee and a map to a hideout where Lusho Finby (the mayor's daughter) has taken the stolen crystals in order to fund the construction of a surface city for humans, which she aims to be high-ranking citizen of.
Introduction
Read aloud the following to get your players started:
Each of you are gnomes of Zuggaby!!, spelled with two exclamation points, and never one. You were born and raised in this underground city where homes and businesses are illuminated by the flammable sap that drips from the giant
About Gnome Improvement
This one-shot adventure is meant to serve as an introduction to the world of Pagrodin. Each player selects a gnome from Zuggaby!! to play as and uses their strengths to help bring a runaway thief's treasure back from the world's dangerous surface to the safety of their subterranean town.
Pregenerated gnomes are available at the end of this document, but players are free to make their own gnome character if they choose to do so.
roots of surface-dwelling trees.
A few days ago, the 'reformed' thief Omlee Delk'cit stole some very valuable crystals from the town vault on the last day of her community service. The resulting investigation turned up nothing; that is, until a gnome on his lunch break happened to pass by the old rope elevator to the surface and notice that the platform had been destroyed. For whatever reason, Omlee Delk'cit had used it to skip town!
Now, the most gnomely thing to do would be to amass a search party to find Omlee's corpse and retrieve the crystals, since there's no doubt she died a gruesome death up above. Unfortunately, typical gnomes aren't stupid enough to do that, but that's okay! Mayor Masha Mendling already put out a call for volunteers, and you were the gnomes that she voluntold to be at her home this afternoon for a briefing. If nothing else, this proves that she thinks you have what it takes to brave the unknown and save the town from financial ruin. And if that isn't enough, just imagine the fame, gratitude, and gnomeliness you'll gain upon your triumphant return!
Setup and Character Development
Before starting the adventure outright, the PCs are chatting in front of the mayor's home. Ask the players to talk about why they volunteered (or were voluntold) to be a part of this mission. Feel free to provide information about Zuggaby!! (see page 1 for its map and page 4 for common knowledge) if it assists the players in getting into character. This is also the perfect time to decide if the PCs know each other or not.
Briefing with Mayor Mendling
The mayor's home is a cozy brick igloo in Zuggaby!!'s north-eastern section. It stands out from its neighbors by being decidedly bland on the outside, whereas many others are painted, decorated, or at least standing proudly behind small patches of cultivated mushrooms. The interior is similarly barren, save for the mayor's desk, the large map of the city pinned on the wall behind it, a standing clock, and a few stools that currently obstruct access to the trapdoor in the center of the room (which leads down to the kitchen and bedrooms). Mayor Masha Mendling (fighter, lvl 5), a deep gnome adorned with spectacles and a tunic that reaches her shins, uses this space to pour over the various construction and financing requests that pass her desk daily. She simply doesn't have time to deal with the Omlee Delk'cit problem, and it shows up on her face as clearly as her wrinkles.
Febwee quietly offers the PCs water and crackers before sitting behind Masha, who is still concentrating on the papers on her desk. The players are free to whisper to each other, but anything louder is met with a "Shhhhh!" from Febwee, which is then met with a smack to his forehead from Masha. Once this happens, or if the players finish whispering, Mayor Mendling clears her throat and addresses the gnomes seated before her while keeping her eyes glued to her desk. Read the following aloud to the players in a tight, disinterested voice:
Thank you all for coming. By now, you all know that an ungnomely gnome named Omlee Delk'cit made off with the town jewels and used the elevator to do it, though I can't see how, since you'd need at least two gnomes to operate the rusty thing. Regardless, someone needs to repair it and scour the surrounding zone above us for any sign of her. You were chosen for the task because you all have... inclinations that could prove useful up there.
At this time, she finally looks up at the gnomes and speaks directly to one or two of them if there are pregenerated ones present. Otherwise, she moves on to her concluding remarks.
Ablington Durmaffery. I know you really want to help, Able, but I'll have no dragon silliness on this mission. Do I make myself clear?
Gem-Eedly Nye: Ah, Gemmy. I've no doubt everyone will be safe and sound with you around. Are you still making those little animal toys for the kids you babysit?
Genevieve Shard'ard: Vivi, I'm counting on you to make sure everyone stays on their gnomeliest behavior during this mission. And keep them safe. Don't let me down.
Lauralee Coniferosimus: Honestly, Laura, I'm surprised that you showed up. Or were you just bored? Hard to guess.
Norman Kaishwee: Consider this to be your community service, Norman. Don't let me catch you digging around in my waste bin again. Gnomely hygiene exists for a reason.
Rodge Truffleton: You there, the tall one. You seem to be a strapping young lad. Maybe when you return, you could teach little Febwee here how to play gnomeball.
Sayyid Stringsaplenty: Sayyid... this is your chance to show the town what you can do. I believe in you, although I still think you need to get your head out of the stars.
Zeffin Montrubudel. I don't remember requesting you for this... but, I'm not going to turn down extra hands. Welcome.
Now, I had gold pieces set aside for you to buy the replace-ment parts for the elevator from the good provisioner. But where did I put... oh. Right. My husband Jurye took the wrong coin pouch to work this morning. You'll have to see him at the nearby schoolhouse before you head to the provisioner.
Mayor Mendling then gives Jurye's coin pouch to Febwee, who gives it to the first gnome in the room who accepts it from him. She then provides some basic directions to the schoolhouse, describes Jurye's appearance, and makes it very clear that she expects the crystals on her desk by morning.
If a PC cares to check, Jurye's coin pouch contains 3 gold pieces and 17 silver pieces.
Common Knowledge
Since the PCs are familiar with Zuggaby!! and its operations, they are already aware of many things that the players might not know. Any player that asks about one of the following
things can make a DC 10 Intelligence check to immediately gain that knowledge.
Lusho Finby: Masha Mendling's daughter, and mother to Febwee. Her late husband, Thinnygid Finby, had a freak accident involving a mushmole. Lusho had never been the same after that, but she still went about her business as an architect. She hasn't been seen in Zuggaby!! for almost two months now, but the mayor assures everyone that she's on a diplomatic mission of utmost importance.
Omlee Delk'cit: As far as anyone knows, she was a rather solitary forest gnome who, all at once, gained a penchant for pilfering. When she was caught stealing mushrooms from the farmer's market, she was sentenced to a full month of community service as a sap-scraper. She was only a day away from being considered gnomely again when this much more serious crime was committed. Nobody's really sure what will happen if she comes back, since community service has been the only punishment for centuries, and she is the first gnome to break so many rules simultaneously.
Rope Elevator/Surface: The elevator was always usable, up until recently, but no gnome ever felt the desire to head up and see how things had changed. Life is good underground, and the town is full of rumors and horror stories about what waits up there. The Catastrophe had a lot of effects on flora and fauna alike. All you need to know is that a magical barrier keeps anything that isn't a gnome from getting into the elevator shaft, and it has obviously worked so far.
Zuggaby!!: Zuggaby!! was one of the first subterranean cities to be constructed for gnomes, which is why the cavern is only about 7 feet from floor to ceiling in the residential sections. The deep gnomes did the mining while the forest gnomes tended to the tree roots, and the rock gnomes were always willing to pitch in tools and gnomepower wherever it was needed. All in all, it's quite a boring town with little in the way of dangers, besides a few pests like moles and spiders. The available food consists mostly of mushrooms and root vegetables, but a small amount of sheep, usually kept for milk and wool, are used for their meat during certain holidays.
Bendletod Schoolhouse
By the time the PCs make it Bendletod schoolhouse, classes have already ended, but many children are still running around the playground and laughing in delight. The granite building itself is two gnome-stories tall and covered with blue and silver horizontal stripes. If the PCs attempt to enter it, they find that is locked. It doesn't contain anything more than normal school supplies and janitorial equipment, either.
It is likely that the PCs went to this primary school when they were younger. They can roleplay familiarity, reminiscing on childhood memories, or just focus on the task at hand.
The playground is a large sandpit with various play equipment meant for kids. Off to the side, Jurye Mendling sits on a bench with a forced smile contrasting against his otherwise worried visage. If the PCs attempt to approach the children without speaking to him first, he politely asks them why they're at the schoolhouse. Upon being offered his coin purse or asked about his wife's, he hops up and begins nervously pleading for the PCs' help. Read the following aloud in a somewhat hysterical voice:
Thank all that is gnomely that you're here! The children, you see, I play a game with them sometimes where they guess how many gold pieces are in my coin pouch and they can
keep them if they're right, and I thought it felt heavier today, but the children always go too high, but one said '100 pieces' and I let them count it just to tire them out but it turns out I DID have 100 gold pieces in that pouch and I couldn't bring myself to tell them they couldn't have it so now they have 100 of my gold pieces split among them and what will I tell my wife that had to be the town's tax money I would never keep so much on my person--
He keeps going on like this until he is stopped or you run out of breath, but the gist of the situation should make its way to the players somehow. They're going to have to get the money back from the children if they're to purchase the replacement parts and get the elevator repaired.
If Jurye receives his coin pouch from the PCs, he thanks them. However, he is perceptive: if the PCs took any coins from his coin pouch before returning it, he confronts the least-intimidating gnome in the party about it. He is aware that the PCs need money to purchase the replacement parts, but thievery is exactly what put them in this situation.
Childish Challenges
Once the PCs are done speaking with Jurye, the children run up to them, in clear awe of their armor and weapons. They ask lots of questions along the lines of Are you ad-vent-ers?, Can I hold your sword?, and Have you killed someone?
Over time, the kids will find that the PCs are quite new to the adventuring business, so they challenge the PCs to a number of competitions in order to prove their heroicness. Even better, they're willing to part with some of their newly gained gold pieces should the PCs win. However, a successful DC 10 Charisma (Intimidation) check or DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) check will convince a child to cough up the gold pieces, too (though this can only be attempted once per child). An intimidated child will run to Jurye, who will definitely write up the perpetrator for ungnomely behavior.
The PCs know that they need at least 50 gp to buy the replacement parts for the rope elevator. Anything more than that becomes extra spending money! The kids will give the PCs the amount of money listed on the left if the PC loses the challenge or if the kids are otherwise persuaded to give the money back, but they will give the amount of money listed on the right if a PC accepts and wins the challenge.
Are You Smarter than a Gnome Child? (15/25 gp): Adult gnomes refer to the game by its longer name, but kids just call it Gnome Trivia. Since gnomes are typically a brainy sort, this game is fairly popular. If a PC accepts this challenge, the kids rush over to the panicked Jurye, who accepts the request to be the "question-gnome" after a bit of hesitation. Each of the questions involve something that Jurye expects the PCs to know already, since he wants them to win. All the player has
Preferred Pillars of Play
D&D covers three types of gameplay: exploration, interaction, and combat. These childish challenges focus on interaction, but not all players look for this in a play session. If your players try one or two challenges and don't seem to be having fun, allow them to receive 50 gp from the kids quickly. Perhaps the kids begin to pity the PCs, or just throw the coins at them!
to do is recall information, although a Passive Perception of 13 or higher allows them to see that Jurye is mouthing the correct answers while the kids are concentrated on the PC. For every question the PC answers incorrectly, or fails to answer, the kids blurt out the answer and berate them for being so ungnomely, though Jurye quiets them eventually. The game consists of 5 questions, and the PC "wins" as long as they don't give up before the game is over.
- What's the name of my grandson? I'll give everyone a hint: he's the mayor's grandson too! Febwee.
- How many exclamation points does Zuggaby!! have in its proper name? Two.
- What is the professional title of the gnomes who gather the sap from the roots around town? Sap-scrapers.
- What's the name of the thief everyone's talking about? Omlee Delk'cit.
- What does every good gnome want to be? Gnomely.
Not Afraid of Spiders (5/30 gp): Skitter spiders are furry, centimeter-long arachnids that are both easily frightened and very fast. Their bite isn't deadly, but receiving many bites in a short time can be a bit dangerous. Unfortunately for the PC that accepts this challenge, a nest of skitter spiders can be found in a hole in the schoolhouse's foundation. The hole is fist-sized (for a gnome) and deep enough for a hand to fit up to the wrist. The challenge begins when Ruben, a snot-nosed kid with too big a smile, uses a stick to push five gold pieces to the very back of the hole. The aim is to retrieve the gold pieces within 1 minute (10 rounds) by using only your bare hands. A PC that chooses to go slowly, so as to avoid agitating the spiders, must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to retrieve a gold piece. This DC increases by 2 for each additional gold piece they attempt to retrieve at once. Failure just means they instinctively pull their hand out; they can still try again next round. If a PC instead chooses to go quickly, they retrieve 1d3 gold pieces (up to 5 in total) each time they try, but they must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned for the next 24 hours. The provisioner has some posion cure for sale in case this occurs. The challenge concludes with Ruben returning 4 additional gold pieces for each gold piece the PC retrieved from the hole; he also returns 5 gold pieces regardless of the outcome.
Parapparap Battle (10/20 gp): Every little gnome knows that the best heroes have songs written about them, so the PCs should be no exception! When this challenge is accepted, the group of children parts to allow parapparap champion, Jeredibiadiminas (aka Big J), to approach the PC. Defeating the child in a parapparap battle requires winning 3 out of 5 Charisma (Performance) contests. Although Jeredibiadiminas is the champion of the playground, he only has a +1 bonus to his ability check. The player can choose to create and sing two lines of an original gnomely rap before rolling for each contest in order to gain a +3 bonus on that ability check. If the PC loses this challenge, they take 1d4-1 psychic damage as a result of being bested by someone half their age.
Sap-Tree Climbing (15/25 gp): This is a game played by almost all Zuggaban gnomes, some of whom still have a small dent in their skull from where they hit the ground. A large root, about 10 feet in diameter, stretches the height of the cavern behind the schoolhouse. Because of its age and lack of sap quality, the sap-scrapers usually ignore it, which mean that it's still slippery. Once this challenge is accepted,
the PC and about 4 or 5 children make their way to it, and one child, Verogna, starts telling the PC the rules, which boil down to "get to the 10-foot mark first" and "don't mess up the other person's climb." Once the climbers ready, the kids count down and the race begins. The PC makes their choice of a Strength (Athletics) check or a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check each round to see how well they climb: 10-14 means they make no headway, 15 or higher means they climb a third of the way up, and anything below 10 means they fall, taking 1d2 bludgeoning damage for each third of the way they had climbed unless they succeed on a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw. Verogna makes it to the 10-foot mark after 1 minute (10 rounds), meaning that the PC then loses the challenge. Once a gnome wins, the competitors slide down safely and everyone returns to the schoolhouse.
Gobson's Provisions
The most well-known general store in the northern section of Zuggaby!! has been standing for over 100 years. Its 12-foot tall, cone-shaped exterior reaches all the way to the cavern's ceiling in this area, making it easy to stop from afar. Gerauld Gobson, proprietor of Gobson's Provisions, only leaves the store to eat and sleep. When the players enter, they see shelves lining the circular walls almost all the way up to the tip of the cone, where sap-filled dome lantern hangs from a sturdy cord. Gerauld sits on a root-wood chair that looks as though it's attached to the wall. Next to him, a counter with merchant's scales and organized stacks of coins extends from the center of the cone to the wall.
Gerauld has the replacement parts for the elevator already prepared, though he won't give them away without receiving proper payment (50 gp) first. If the PCs have extra spending money, they can also peruse a discounted selection of items that might help them on their upcoming excursion. See the Provisions table for the full list.
Once the PCs collect the replacement parts and leave, Gerauld stops them and gets up to hand them a stone of returning. He explains that when someone shatters it, every creature and object within 10 feet of it will be teleported back to Zuggaby!!, specifically to the town's main square. He only has the one, so he makes sure to tell the PCs not to waste it.
Provisions
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Acidic Sap (vial) | 10 gp |
| Grappling Hook | 2 gp |
| Manacles | 2 gp |
| Miner's Pick | 2 gp |
| Poison Cure | 15 gp |
| Potion of Healing | 25 gp |
| Shovel | 2 gp |
| Sledge Hammer | 2 gp |
| Tinker's Tools | 20 gp |
If the PCs attempt to sell anything anything to Gerauld, he simply taps a sign on the counter that reads I'm a salesman, not a buysman. Any further attempts to persuade him into making a purchase make him agitated, with a cumulative 33% chance to cause him to throw them out if they continue.
The Surface
With no time to loiter, the PCs need to repair the elevator and head to the surface, whether they suffered some pains from the kids' challenges or not. The elevator only needs about an hour of work to be usable again. Then, two of the PCs are tasked with pulling ropes on wither side of the platform to raise the elevator up to the surface, with is about 50 feet up.
The surface stop for the rope elevator is a beautifully carved stone gazebo with shimmering, magical barriers all around. In the centuries since its creation, its exterior has been overgrown with roots and ferns, although a clearing in the overgrowth on the east side seems to have been made recently. Through it, the PCs easily notice a glittering trail of crystalline dust. Fortunately, the magical barriers don't hinder the gnomes at all.
Following the trail takes the gnomes through huge trees that easily reach 300-400 feet into the sky. Climbing over roots is often needed, and the only fauna seem to be harmless until a faint buzzing is heard—this will lead the PCs to their first potential combat encounter.
Gnarled Respite
Read this descriptive text to your players when they enter:
The trail of shining dust leads into an area of intertwined, woody growths that form a sturdy scaffold slightly above the forest floor. Upon climbing onto it, the source of the buzzing becomes clear: a giant wasp is fixated on a particular section of the scaffold. It keeps attempting to stab its stinger between the growths to no avail. There's a noticeable amount of crystal dust near the insect, as well.
The gnarled respite guards an unconscious forest gnome. A PC can squeeze through the root scaffold as long as they aren't wearing heavy armor. If they do, they can make a DC 10 Intelligence (History) check to realize that this is Omlee Delk'cit herself, and a DC 10 Wisdom (Medicine) check to determine that she is still alive. However, an angry stinger is blocking access to the opening when the PCs first arrive, so these revelations won't be made until they deal with it. It won't attack the PCs unless they provoke it or if it notices them get within 10 feet of it.
Encounter: The angry stinger hovers about 20 feet from where the PCs climb up. On its turn, it flies up to closet gnome and attacks with its stinger. It has an additional turn each round at initiative order 0. Once it is reduced to 3 hit points or fewer, it attempts to flee to the treetops.
| Angry Stinger | CR 1/2 |
Giant Wasp (Monster Manual 329)
Treasure: A PC that squeezes into the opening where Omlee is can find a number of items piled nearby, as if they had all been carried together and dropped at once: 6 gold pieces, 2 poison cures, a potion of healing, a set of thieves' tools, a +1 shortsword (which Omlee calls Soosieloo, named after her school crush), and a crude charcoal map of the area.
The map contains the positions of this gnarled respite and the rope elevator, but also an oval with a number of question marks and symbols that could only represent crystals lying outside it. If the scale is correct, it would be a 30-minute trek.
Aftermath: The PCs are free to follow the map and leave Omlee to her own devices, but they can also restrain her while she's uncon-scious in order to find the crystals first and return here later. Waking her up immediately is impossible without healing her; if a PC uses a spell, potion, or class feature for this purpose, Omlee awakens slowly and panics once she sees the PCs, but soon breaks into tears. If the PCs allow her to speak, she claims that the crystal theft was the idea of Lusho, the mayor's daughter, who then helped her reach the surface before betraying her and leaving her for dead. Omlee had been told that the crystals were needed to repair the magical barrier at the elevator's surface stop, but that was obviously not true. She doesn't remember making the crude map or how she ended up in the gnarled respite, and she's extremely hungry. If the PCs listen to her or at least give her food, she says that she'll stay put while they find the crystals so that she can go back to Zuggaby!! with everyone. If the PCs attempt to bring them with her, they find that she is too weak to move at a reasonable pace, and she can't help at all in combat. Better to move quickly without her.
1- Dilapidated Hideout
No more than 30 minutes of following the map's directions takes you to a forest clearing where the minimal remains of a centuries-old cottage lies. The air here smells cleaner than the dense air everywhere else, and patches of tiny flowers dot the fields surrounding the rubble. Other creatures seem to like the smell as well: two dog-like shapes are pacing the area with their noses to the ground and their ears perked up high.
The two canines are rift wolves, the more feral cousins of blink dogs. Unlike normal wolves, they do not hunt in packs—the pairing here is purely a result of the pleasant smells of the clearing that bring in rabbits and other potential prey. From where the PCs enter the clearing, the rift wolves are both about 60 feet away, but 30 feet from each other. Both of the rift wolves are aggressive but receptive to food. They can be made harmless by any PC that makes a DC 15 Wisdom (Animal Handling) check. This DC is reduced by 5 if the rift wolf accepted an offering of food.
Encounter: Both rift wolves attack the closest gnome until they die or a PC casts a non-cantrip spell. If this occurs, that PC becomes the target of the rift wolves, and they actively attempt to use their teleport ability to reach the spellcaster.
| Rift Wolves | CR 1/4 × 2 |
Blink Dogs (Monster Manual 318) with these alterations:
Medium beast, Unaligned / Intelligence 3 (-4)
2 - Trapdoor
A fortified trapdoor is the sole point of interest in the ruins of this old building, save for some towers of stones that have somehow stood the test of time and remained over 6 feet tall.
Crushing Alarm: A nearly invisible string connects the trapdoor to one of the taller towers of stone. This trap can be noticed with a passive Perception of 15 or higher and disab-led with any slashing weapon. Upon opening the trapdoor without first disabling the trap, the tower of stones falls onto
Lost in the Dark
If the party makes too many decisions that increase the amount of time they spend on the surface, night will fall. Night on the surface is extrememly dangerous, with all kinds of horrendous monsters coming out to hunt. If the PCs aren't in the dilapidated hideout or the gnarled respite, they will have to use their stone of returning or face certain death in this situation. Either way, the adventure ends as a failure if they weren't able to secure the crystals beforehand. Lusho Mendling makes full use of the crystals, causing them to become irretrievable even if the PCs were to return.
the trapdoor and any creature standing within 5 feet of it. A creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw to avoid the falling stones or take 1d4 bludgeoning damage as the rocks hit it. Regardless, the stones clang against the floor and the trapdoor, causing a ruckus that be heard up to 100 feet away.
3 - Hideout Entryway
An 8-foot tall ladder leads down into the basement of the old building. An assortment of candles are still burning, though the opening of the trapdoor above has caused some to be blown out. On the opposite side of the room are two doors set like mirror images in the walls on the left and right sides, as well as a bureau desk set flush against the end wall. Various sketches and diagrams are strewn over its angled surface.
The basement's first room has served as Lusho Finby's office, since the other rooms are too damp and dusty for her liking. There is a grate below the ladder which effectively removes rainwater coming in from the seams around the trapdoor in the ceiling. The candles are of a magical nature: they don't melt as their wicks burn, but they can still be put out easily.
The desk's surface has a box of matches, 2 poorly-made charcoal pencils, and 5 tanned animal skins of varying colors and sizes that depict plans for a watchtower, a longhouse, some type of elevator (much fancier than the rope one), and a fortified wall, but the fifth skin shows a sketching of a male gnome. A PC can surmise that it is the likeness of Thinnygid Finby, Lusho's late husband, if they choose to make a DC 15 Intelligence (History) check.
The desk also has one unlocked drawer containing a few more blank skins and a blackened rag that Lusho uses to clean her hands after drawing with charcoal. Its locked drawer, which can be opened with thieves' tools and a DC 13 Dexterity check, contains a rust bag of tricks with one fuzzy object left and a cloth bundle with a string that be be undone to reveal 2 pieces of quartz worth 50 gp each. If using force, the drawer can be broken with a DC 15 Strength check, but the pieces of quartz have a 50% chance to fall to the stone floor and break if this occurs.
The northern door is always unlocked, but the southern door may be locked if the party triggered the crushing alarm, used force to open the locked drawer, or otherwise caused a commotion that would be heard by the people in that room. Any attempts to open the locked door from this side fail.
4 - Mushmole Den
Though this room has no visible light source, your gnomish eyes can make out rubble and dirt from where the earth above has fallen into the room. On the eastern wall is a hole about 7 feet wide, which is probably how the sleeping mushmoles in the southeastern corner of the room got in.
Lusho avoids this room and relies on the fortified door to keep any pests from reaching her. She would lock it, but the only way to do so is from inside the room. Unlike the past creatures fom the surface, the PCs should be familiar with these beasts. Mushmoles are not very bright, and they have little in the way of sight or hearing, but their senses of smell and touch are hard to beat. Additionally, they are aggressive despite their size. If the PCs attempt to move past the mush-moles without waking them, succesful DC 12 Dexterity (Stealth) checks will be required for everyone.
Encounter: Mushmoles can't burrow through the stone floor, so they shuffle up to the PCs and attack randomly.
| Mushmoles | CR 1/8 × 4 |
Treasure: Before Lusho took steps to keep the mushmoles out of the main hideout, they were able to grab a few of her things: some savory herbs, a large mushroom (half-eaten), a turquoise worth 10 gp, and a potion of growth. These items are hidden between the pieces of rubble under where the mushmoles were sleeping, but a PC that makes a DC 10 Wisdom (Perception) check while looking around the room can find them. If the mushmoles are still sleeping while a PC tries to take the items, a DC 15 Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check is necessary to avoid waking them up.
Mushmole
Tiny beast, unaligned
- Armor Class 12
- Hit Points 5 (2d4)
- Speed 20 ft., burrow 30 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 14 (+2) 10 (0) 2 (-4) 15 (+2) 4 (-3)
- Condition Immunities blinded, deafened
- Senses tremorsense 30 ft., passive Perception 12
- Languages —
- Challenge 1/8 (25 XP)
Keen Smell. The mushmole has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Actions
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d4+2) slashing damage.
5 - Mushmole Tunnel
The dirt tunnel is covered in claw marks and is far bigger than the holes that mushmoles would normally make down in Zuggaby!!'s farms. The northern end opens into a basement room that looks to be falling apart, while the southern end is boarded up with planks that smell of bitter sniffing oils.
This tunnel was made by the mushmoles after a couple of them drank from Lusho's stock of potions of growth. If the PCs entered from the south, the descriptive part about the planks can be omitted. Lusho set them up to keep the mushmoles from returning, and they need a DC 10 Strength check to be broken down from either side.
6 - Main Hideout
This large, furnished room reminds you of a typical gnome dwelling in Zuggaby!!, with a dining area, stove, and wall-mounted bed tying together a modest living space. The thick smell of boiling soup wafts over as soon as you enter, providing a welcome comfort that almost distracts you from the task at hand.
If Lusho heard the PCs coming, she used mage hand to lock the northern door before moving over to the stove to tend to her soup while awaiting for the party's arrival. Once they do, she offers them a meal. Accepting this invitation allows the PCs to gain the benefits of a short rest. If confronted about the crystals or Omlee, Lusho attempts to persuade them that Omlee must have hidden them somewhere in the forest. If asked about why she's in the hideout, she tells the party that her mother, the mayor, wanted someone to see if the outside world could be settled and that she volunteered; Omlee had eventually found the hideout by chance and pleaded for assistance, but Lusho refused since she had obviously stolen the crystals she carried with her. These are all lies. Her objective is to get the party out of the hideout without them attempting to enter the storeroom or figuring out the truth. If all else fails, she will resort to violence.
If the party was able to enter the room without alerting Lusho, she is instead seated at the head of the dining table with two male humans wearing traveler's clothes seated on either side of her. These humans move to the storeroom if they are alerted, and they do not come out unless they hear fighting or get the okay from Lusho. If combat breaks out immediately, the seated persons are surprised.
Encounter: A combat encounter with Lusho begins with her casting Tasha's hideous laughter on whichever PC has been dealing the most damage thus far in the adventure. She orders the two humans to attack the PCs, hoping to use them to activate her sneak attack during her future turns. Even if Lusho falls first, the two humans continue to fight on.
The dining table can be knocked over with a DC 12 Strength check, creating total cover for anyone behind it.
| Lusho Finby and Company | CR 1, CR 0 × 2 |
Commoners (Monster Manual 345) with these alterations:
AC 12 / hp 11 / Strength 14 (+2) / Constitution 13 (+1)
Lusho Finby
Small humanoid (forest gnome), chaotic neutral
- Armor Class 15
- Hit Points 18 (4d6+4)
- Speed 25 ft.
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 8 (-1) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 14 (+2) 11 (+0) 13 (+1)
- Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +4
- Skills Acrobatics +5, Deception +3, Survival +4
- Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
- Languages Common, Gnomish
- Class Levels Rogue 3 (Arcane Trickster)
- Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Gnome Cunning. Lusho has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.
Sneak Attack. Lusho's dagger deals 2d6 extra damage if the target is within 5 feet of one of her allies, or if she has advantage on the attack.
Spellcasting. Lusho is a 1st-level spellcaster. Her spell-casting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): acid splash, mage hand, minor illusion, ray of frost, true strike
1st level (2 slots): charm person, false life, Tasha's hideous laughter
Actions
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft.., one target. Hit: 5 (1d4+3) piercing damage.
7 - Storeroom
The spacious storeroom contains shelves, cabinets, and crates stocked with salted cuts of meat, large amounts of organized herbs, potions, vegetables, and stripped pieces of bark. The eastern wall is heavily crumbled, but a lovely blue gleam can be seen on the room's northern side.
Treasure: The north part of the room contains the 20 lbs. of crystals that the party was supposed to retrieve. There are some other items in the room as well: 12 day's rations, an old hatchet, 4 more potions of growth (the humans avoided them so they could still use the door), a wooden statuette depicting an owl alighting to a gnome's shoulder (though the gnomes probably don't know what an owl is), timber for the stove, and an assortment of gemstones (including a tiger's eye, azurite, agate, rhodochrosite, and hematite each worth 10 gp and an amethyst worth 100 gp).
Concluding the Adventure
If the PCs manage to return to Zuggaby!! with the stolen cystals, whether by coming back down the elevator or using the stone of returning that Gerauld gave them, they return to the mayor and receive nice, big medals for a job well done. If they bring Omlee, Lusho, or both back with them, those gnomes are, as usual, sentenced to community service. The PCs are offered paid positions as guards of the rope elevator so that nothing like this can happen again, though other gnomes will surely accept those positions if the PCs decline. Omlee and Lusho keep their mouths shut about the incident unless the PCs tell the mayor about any information they've learned. If not, life can be be expected to return to normal.
In the event that the PCs return without completing the mission, the mayor brands them as ungnomely cowards and refuses to believe that they went to surface at all. Zuggaby!!, soon after, faces a period of economic downturn, but a certain settlement on the surface gains where this town loses...
Lusho's Ploy (The Truth)
After her husband's death, Lusho Finby took numerous trips to the surface against the mayor's wishes by using her magic to operate the elevator. She found the dilapidated hideout and decided to make it her home away from home, essentially ignoring her son's (Febwee's) existence to do so. During her adventures, she met humans who had started building a settlement about 10 miles away. Such a thing was unheard of, and she took a great interest in the project as an architect. They were quickly running out of funding because the settlement kept being destroyed by the monsters of the surface, so Lusho offered to help in exchange for a place in the settlement's leadership.
She returned to Zuggaby!! and found out about Omlee from the mayor's paperwork. After tricking the thief into stealing the crystals (which would be great funding), Lusho assisted in Omlee's trip to the surface and provided her with a simple map to reach the hideout before impulsively deciding that it would be better if she never made it there. She knocked the thief unconscious and ran off with the crystals with the help of her mage hand, although Omlee was fortunate enough to wake up and find a relatively safe place in her injured state.
Pregenerated Characters
The following pages of this document include an array of pregenerated gnome characters that differ slightly to the characters that can normally be created by players. Using these characters is recommended if the players are new to D&D or its fifth edition.
Credits
Original Adventure Content by Acenm5. Take the Survey.
Context: D&D 5th Edition by Wizards of the Coast, LLC.
Made using GM Binder. Map created with Inkarnate Pro.
Structure inspired by We Be Goblins by Richard Pett.